Golden Tote – August 2015

I’m excited to share a look at my Golden Tote – August 2015with you! If you’re not familiar, Golden Tote is a company that puts out a special “tote” full of clothing on the 1st Monday of each month!

It isn’t really a subscription as there is nothing automated and you need to manually go in at NOON EST on the 1st Monday of the month to order your tote! Then stylists personally curate a collection of clothing to suit your style and body type!

If you love getting surprises and wearing the latest in fashion then this tote is for you!

On tote day make sure you click on this link AGAIN to go to their site as we don’t get the $10 referral credit unless you purchase from this link – thanks! XOXO

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HOW IT WORKS

1. CHOOSE YOUR TOTE
New totes go on sale the first Monday of every month at 9AM PST. The $49 Tote is a small tote filled with 2-3 pieces of clothing. The $149 Tote is a large tote filled with 5-6 pieces of clothing.

2. PICK YOUR FAVORITES
Pick one or two items you love, and we’ll surprise you with adorable, stylish clothing, at insider pricing, ensuring you get them for an absolute steal. We’re talking more than 50% off retail prices – that works out to around $26 per item. But shhh, nobody else has to know.

3. SELECT YOUR ADD-ONS
Is there something you just can’t live without?
Add items to your order during checkout for a reduced price.

4. CREATE YOUR STYLE PROFILE
Style your profile and tell us what you like to wear – or what you don’t. Every tote is hand-packed based on your profile. The more we know about your shape, size and style, the better we can personalize your picks for a perfect tote.

Style Profiles – the first thing you want to do BEFORE the Monday tote launches is set up an account and fill out your style profile! During the questionnaire it will ask you which of the following style seems most like you.

The EXCITING thing is that there are now SIX styles to choose from!! They also added areas to choose type of items you DON’T want to receive from colors, to patterns, etc…which is great!!

Feminine + Boho – These are the two styles I chose!!

Edgy + Classic – I might add these two next time

Casual + Trendy – Like but don’t love these styles

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Sizing Tips – Their sizing goes from XS – L. XS is a size 0 – 2 and Large is a size 12 – 14. Of course sizes from every clothing manufacturer run differently so if you fit in the Large category not all of their larges will fit you. Once you join make sure to join their Facebook trading group to get advice on sizing from different manufacturers.

Pants + Skirts – If you are overweight like I am, you may NOT want to order any bottoms from GT. The maximum waist size is 31. So when you are purchasing a tote you can say in your style profile that you don’t want bottoms. However, In my last tote run I said I WOULD accept Above the Knee Dresses, High-Low Skirts, and High-Low Dresses (In the comments I added “as long as they stretched or ran big”).

They FINALLY are asking now in the style profile about your personal size. They ask height, weight, chest size, etc… They also ask body type (apple, pear, straight, etc…) and torso type. This should make it much easier to receive items that will fit you correctly. This is great because it is one thing if you receive an item that isn’t your style but if it doesn’t fit you can’t even try to wear it.

There is a small comment box in the style profile where you can tell the stylist about any problem areas not covered in the style profile.

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Comment Box Tips – Ok so they changed the comment box to be VERY SMALL, but the good thing is that most of the issues people were writing about in the comment box are now covered in the new and improved Style Profiles!

You will want to note anything to them that wasn’t covered in the style profile, clues to your style, or special requests (an item or a stylist), etc…

I think they did a great job improving the Style Profiles and I am sure people will be much happier with the Surprises they receive because of it!!

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The Day of Tote Launch – it will be a FRIENZY!

Prior to Tote Day join the Facebook GT Trading group to see a Sneak Peek of “Chosen” items

Decide prior to tote day which chosen items you are going to go after (1 for small tote, 2 for large tote)

Sign in like a half hour before launch (NOON EST)

Have your Credit Card out and ready!

Make sure you have enough credit available on your credit card, lol!

Have your style profile completed

Add any additional “boutique” items to your cart ahead of time

At exactly NOON EST click on the “Shop Golden Tote” link. Keep clicking on it until the two tote choices appear.

Pick your tote and choose your one or two items QUICKLY!!!

Rush to check out

Check out. If it gives you an error, just keep hitting the submit/check out button repeatedly

Next wait for the fashion shows and trades to begin on the FB group as members receive their totes!

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Returns!

Totes are an all or nothing deal. If you want to return it you have to return the whole tote.

If you want to keep one or both of your “chosen” items you have to purchase them at the full “boutique” price

TIP – CHANGE – YOU CAN NO LONGER MIX & MATCH SURPRISES OR CHOSENS WHEN YOU RETURN A TOTE!! Previously if you ordered 2 totes and then return 1 tote, you could mix and match the “surprise” items from each tote. So say you bought TWO of the large totes and received say 4 “surprises” in each. If you like 2 surprises from each tote but still want to return one full tote, as long as you return the same number of “surprises” you are fine. So in this example you return 4 surprises with ONE tote and those 4 surprises you return can be from either tote and you can keep the 4 you like best. So starting in March they are no longer allowing this which is disappointing. Sometimes you get a Surprise or a Chosen that doesn’t fit or isn’t your style and now there is no way to return it unless you return the whole tote. I think this will end up INCREASING tote returns to them and DECREASING purchases. We shall see.

NOTE – totes must be returned within 14 days of when you receive them.

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Now for my REVEAL!!! Check out what was in my August Tote – a $149 tote!!

✻ Chosen Items #1 & #2 – Daydream Believer Dresses in Black + Turquoise– LOVE LOVE! When I saw this dress was available I knew it would fit and I would love it so I ordered two different colors as my “Chosens” this month. And, it didn’t disappoint! It is a great throw-on-and-go type dress and is JUST long enough for me!

✻ Add-On Item – True Blue Cardigan– LOVE! I didn’t want to purchase an additional tote to get this cardigan so I added it on to my tote for $35. It is wonderful! Super soft and comfy and it goes great with jeans!!

✻ Surprise Item – Le Lis Lace Front Tank – LOVE! This tank was featured under one of the Chosen jackets for this month and it looked so pretty! I was so excited when I saw it in my tote as a Surprise and that it was size XL!! It is the only XL I have ever gotten from Golden Tote. It would be great if they started carrying XL as it really helps when you have chest, lol!

✻ Surprise Item – Pink Owl Bicycle Dress – LOVE! I rarely request an item but this month I made a collage of like 9 items I was in search of and this dress was one of them….yea! I live in Michigan and if you don’t know we have Mackinac Island here and their symbol is the bicycle since there are no motorized vehicles on the island. I can just see myself tooling around the island on a bike wearing my bike dress…yea! LOL

✻ Surprise Item – Very J Tweed Dress – LOVE…well sort of! Love this dress and it looks on the hanger that it would be great for work. BUT….wait for it….It is BODYCON on me, lol! I just had to post this because it was funny! I DO actually love the dress though…it has silver sparkle thread throughout it. I have been working on losing weight and when I get my weight down some this may actually look acceptable.

✻ Boutique Purchases– DISLIKE!

Dreamcatcher Bracelet – $8 – In person it is much more dainty than I expected. – Returned

New Age Necklace – $14 – Like but didn’t love. – May be returning.

Understated Statement Necklace – $18 – I guess I need MORE of a statement piece. – Returned

So the jewelry was not a hit this month….I have to remember to only buy statement pieces, lol!

Golden Tote ended up having a Warehouse Sale with 40% off anything in the Boutique a few days before Tote Day. Here is what I got….

✻ Warehouse Sale – Layering Slips in Black + White– LIKE! These ran about like a size 8/10 so I went ahead and sold them to another GT member. I would have kept them if they were larger.

✻ Warehouse Sale – Business Casual Blouse in Pink – LIKE! This is a nice blouse for work or for casual wear. It came pretty wrinkled, but once ironed I am sure it will look nice.

✻ Warehouse Sale – **Special Replacement Item** Blue Dress by Esley – LOVE! I ordered a pretty ivory dress from the Warehouse sale and I was contacted by customer service that it was damaged and they couldn’t ship it. So they sent this as a replacement (one of my “in search ofs” in my profile) so I was SO excited to see it!! It is a tad tight across my upper chest and looks a tad short in this pic but luckily it is longer in the back and I think when I lose a few pounds it will be perfection!

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THE VERDICT!!

I love this company and concept of getting stylish clothes each month at a good price!!

Ok, the Chosens were 100% this month and overall this month was WAY better than previous months in regards to style of the Surprises. I can only attribute it to their new and improved Style Profiles…way to go Golden Tote!!

More Regarding CHOSENS – Golden Tote has now started putting chest and length measurement of their “Chosen” clothes on their Tumblr page prior to the launch of each sale. THANKS GOLDEN TOTE!!! This is very helpful and necessary since we can’t try clothes on prior to purchase.

Now regarding the VALUE of the tote…on their web site they state that their totes are a steal “We’re talking more than 50% off retail prices – that works out to around $26 per item.” which is very accurate!! So, YES, I think the tote’s value was well worth the price of $149.

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I am so excited to wear all my clothes in my Golden Tote this month!! Stay tuned for my next Golden Tote reveal!

I’m a lifestyle blogger and each day I feature a different theme filled with my FAVORITE tips, tricks, products, videos, pictures, inspirations, and of course TRENDS! I would love your support by subscribing!

FTC disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored video. All opinions are 100% my own and I would never recommend a product I didn’t 100% love. Products may be given to me as press samples, and although they do not influence my opinion, I will always let you know what was free and what I purchased with my own money, by designating press samples with an asterisk (*).